Lust and Loss
by Kayliem1999
Summary: Maggie and Jim weren't in the newsroom when Charlie collapsed. They weren't in the waiting room when the doctors told everyone the bad news. And they most definitely weren't there to share the pain. No one even thought to tell them. Not until Sloan gave them a call. What happens after that horrible call? One-shot. I own nothing!


It just kept ringing. Neither were really motivated to pick up Maggie's phone that was rattling around on the hotel desk. Neither wanted to untangle themselves from the other to stumble across to room. No, that would involve being away from each other, even if only for a minute, and that was unacceptable.

"Someone is very desperate to talk to you," Jim said pressing a soft kiss to Maggie's lips. He created a line from her jaw to her collar bone with little nips and kisses.

If only he knew.

"Well," Maggie replied tracing her hands over his bare chest, following each delicate touch with her impeccable lips. "Whoever it is will just have to wait."

If they had known it was Sloan on the other end. Had they known that she would choke out a few sobs that were indecipherable. But they couldn't see her clutching the phone to her ear with tears that were so out of place on her perfect olive skin. All they could see in the dark hotel room was each other.

Jim could not for the life of him remember the last time he had felt like this. Maybe it had never happened before. He knew the heat coursing through his veins hadn't ignited his whole body aflame with Hallie. Especially not Lisa. Most definitely not the few girls he had dated in high school or college. With Maggie, there was this new desire building in his body, foreign feelings dictating his every move.

"Mmmm, Maggie," Jim moaned lust lacing with his husky voice.

Finally, the ringing stopped. Whoever it was that was so desperate to reach them gave up.

"You know," Jim gasped breathlessly. "When someone calls you with a crisis, they still have a crisis whether or not you answer the phone."

"Shut up," Maggie breathed covering his lips with her own. Jim didn't protest.

It was Jim's phone that rang next. The lyrics to _I'm Sexy and I Know It _filled the room and Maggie gave him a look.

"Your taste in music is awful," Maggie stated rolling out of the bed. She walked across the room, shivering as the over- conditioned air hit her bare skin. The bed creaked as Jim sat up, leaning against the head rest.

"Hello," Maggie said into the receiver, trying to keep the reluctance from dripping from her mouth.

"Maggie?" Sloan sniffled. "Why are you answering Jim's phone?"

"Oh, um, we are at dinner and he's in the bathroom," Maggie replied. "Is everything alright?"

"You guys need to come home," Sloan said, her words cracking with fresh tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Why?" Maggie asked tucking the phone under her ear. She sat on the end of the bed, her brow knitting together. Jim came up behind her, running his arms up her sides with roaming fingers. She could feel his lips on the sensitive skin of her neck, his tongue swiping along the tendon connecting her shoulder to her neck. "What happened, Sloan?"

"What's going on, babe?" Jim asked, quickly closing his mouth when Maggie gave him a pointed look.

"It's Charlie," Sloan whispered. "He had a heart attack."

"He's okay, right?" Maggie said.

"He…he didn't make it," Sloan replied. "He held on for a little bit, but he died about an hour ago."

"Oh my god," Maggie whispered clamping a hand over her mouth. Tears collected in the corners of her eyes, spilling faster than her mind could process the fact that Charlie was actually gone.

"Maggie, he went peacefully. The doctors said he was asleep," Sloan reassured. "The funeral is on Friday. Mac booked tickets for you and Jim to fly home, she said forget about the story. I'll see you when you get back."

The line went dead, but Maggie held the phone to her ear, just staring straight ahead. Her mouth dangled open and she couldn't bring herself to move. A strangled noise escaped her parted lips and she wiped her eyes furiously.

"What is it, Mags?" Jim asked.

"It's Charlie," Maggie replied. "He had a heart attack and he didn't make it."

The words sliced through the air, sinking in for the both of them painful slow. Charlie, the only man that had tied them all together, had died. That was impossible. He was invincible, right?

Maggie collapsed into Jim, burying her face into his chest. Tears dribbled down her cheeks and her body shook slightly. Jim would be lying if he said that he a few tears hadn't slipped down his own cheeks ever so silently.

But the little piece that they all had missed in the chaos was that Charlie was more than just a father figure, he was their protector. Their barrier from the monster of a man, Pruitt would demolish that newsroom unapologetically. Not even bothering to mourn the great man that had collapsed in the very room.

**What did you think of my little one-shot? Please enlighten me with your reviews. **


End file.
